Printing-form.



W. J. ADAM.

PRINTING FORM.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 12, 1912.

Patented Mar. 3, 1914.

COLUMBIA PuNonmPn CO.,WASHIHC|TON. D. c.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

SAS 4 WILLIAM J. ADAM,

PRESS, OF NORWOOD, MASSACHUSETTS OF NORWOOID, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOB.TO THE PLIIVIIPTO'N A CORPORATION OF MASSACHUSETTS.

PRINTING-FORM.

insaioo.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 3, 1914.

Application filed June 12, 1912. Serial No. 703,186.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, WILLIAM J ADAM, ofNorwood, in the county of Norfolkand State of Massachusetts, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Printing-Forms, of whichthe following is a specification, reference being had to theaccompanying drawings, forming part thereof.

This invention has reference to improvements in platen forms or similardevices whereby a series of electrotypes or plates having printingsurfaces can be relatively associated, spaced, supported and secured sothat a single printing impression may be made from all of saidelectrotypes and other printing plates.

The object of the invention is to so con struct a printing form having aform bed, sometimes known in the trade as a block, and printing platespacing and securing devices that any series of plates adapted to beaccommodated or supported by said form bed may be suitably spaced onsaid platen and secured in position.

Another object of the invention is to improve the construction of theplate spacing devices as well as the plate securing clamps.

Other objects of the invention will appear from the followingdescription.

The invention consists in the novel construction of the form bed.

The invention also consists in the novel furniture or plate spacing andsecuring devices for said form bed.

The invention also consists in such other novel features of constructionand combination of parts as shall hereinafter be more fully describedand pointed out in the claims.

Figure 1 represents a plan view of the improved printing bed and itsfurniture showing a series of printing plates mounted on the form bedand spaced and secured by the furniture. Fig. 2 represents an enlargedend view of a portion of the form bed. Fig. 3 represents a plan view ofportions of one of the margin spacers and clamps. Fig. 4. represents aside view of the parts shown in Fig. 3. Fig. 5 represents an enlargedcross sectional view taken as on line 5-5 Fig. 1, showing the manner inwhich the margin spacer engages the edges of the printing plates. Fig. 6represents a plan view of one of the end spacing devices. Fig. 7represents plan view of one of the column clamps. v

Fig. 9 represents a side vie thereof. Fig. 10 represents a partialsectional view taken on line 1010 Fig. 11, showing the manner in whichthe clamping wedge is mounted. Fig. 11 represents a sectional view takenon line 11-11 Fig. 8. Fig. 12 represents a plan view of one of the sideclamps for securing all printing plates of a transverse series of saidplates. Fig. 13 represents a plan view of the adjustable clamping plateof one of said side clamps. Fig. 14: represents a side elevation of Fig.12. Fig. 15 represents a perspective view of the wedge bar of said sideclamp. Fig. 16 represents a perspective view of one of the spacerblocks. Fig. 17 represents a plan view of portions of the head gagestrip or members. Fig. 18 represents the same in elevation. Fig. 19represents a sectional view of the side gage strip.

Similar numbers of reference designate corresponding parts throughout.

In carrying this invention into practice in its preferred form Iconstruct the form bed 20 furnished with a series of parallel inverted.T shaped grooves having the channel 21, 21 and the lips 22, 22 extendinginward over said channels and provided with the openings 23, 23 spacedapart, preferably at regular distances, and having widths substantiallyequal to the width of the channels 22, 22. Secured to the ends of thisform bed 20 are the plates 24, 24 which plates close the ends of certainof said grooves. While the shape of said form bed 20 is preferablyrectangular this invention is not limited to a form bed of anyparticular size and shape.

The purpose of the form bed 20 is to carry or support a series ofprinting plates which usually comprise bases B, 13 having bevel edges7), 7) and electrotype, stereotype or other printing surfaces F, P. Itis to be understood that except as herein specifically referred to theend, head or side edges of said bases may be of any usual shape butpreferably are' of a shape that approximately conforms to the shape ofthe spacing or holding members for said edges.

In order to provide a heading and a side margin for the series ofprinting plates I provide the head gage strip 25, Figs. 1 and 18, havingthe inverted T shaped projections 26, 26 adapted to be entered throughthe openings 23, 23 into the grooves 21, 21

an end view thereof. Fig. 8 represents a and adapted to slide in saidgrooves. The

side gage strip 27, Figs. 1 and 19, preferably has the bevel edge 28,and the rod 29 having series of cross members 29, 29 which may beintroduced in to one of the grooves 21 through the entrances 23, 23 andmay then slide longitudinally of said groove to positions out ofregistry with said entrances 23, 23.

The side gage strip 27 is secured in position on the form bed 20 by theengagement of its projection 29, 29 in one of the grooves 21, 21, whichneed not necessarily be the groove 21 nearest the left hand edge 38 is achamber in which is located the as shown in Fig. 1. A series of printingplates P, P are now placed on the form bed 20 with the bevel edges Z), 6of the bases whereby the spring 44 acts constantly to push fomvard thewedge 43 and, in such of said plates P, P engaged beneath the bevel edge28 of said strip 27 and said printing plates P, P, are spaced apart bythe head or foot spacers 30, 30 having the inverted T shaped projections31, 31 which are engaged in said grooves 21.

The printing plates P, P are spaced in columns by marginal spacingdevices having the rods 32, adapted to be received between the lips 22,22 of the grooves 21, 21

and having a series of cross pieces 33, 33

spaced apart on said rods 32 so that they may be inserted through theentrances 23, 23 of said grooves 21 and may slidein said grooves beneathsaid lips 22, 22. On the upper side of said rods 32 are mounted theguides 34, 34 in which the printing plate clamps 35, 35 are transverselyslidable to engage by means of their bevel edges 36, 36 the bevel edgesZ), 6 of the printing plate bases B, B. After one column of the printing plates P, P has been arranged along and in engagement with the sidegage strip 27, one of these rods 32 is inserted in one of the grooves 21and the clamps 35, 35 of said rod are pushed through their guides 34, 34until the bevel edges 36, 36 of said clamps engage the bevel edges b, 5of the printing plate bases B, B. Another column of the printing platesis then placed on the form bed 20 with their bevel edges Z), Z) beneaththe outer bevel edges of the clamping plates 35, 35, the ends of saidsecond column of printing plates are spaced apart by another series ofthe head or foot spacers 30, 30 and this process is repeated until thedesired number of columns of the printing plates P, P have been thuspositioned on the form bed 20 when it becomes necessary to secure saidcolumns or rows of printing plates P, P from spreading and becomingdisengaged from their several clamping plates 35, 35.

When it is desired to position the strip 25 at a distance from the endof the form bed 20, as shown in Fig. 1 of the drawings I make use of aseries of spacing blocks 16, 16 shown in. Fig. 19, which are located inthe grooves 21 between the head gage strip 25 and the plates 24. Clampsherein called column clamps are utilized at the opposite end portion ofthe form bed to assist in securing the columns of printing plates. Thesecolumn clamps are all of similar construction, which is illustrated indetail in F 8 to 11 inclusive of the drawings, and each comprises themember 38 shaped to slide within the grooves 21 and having between itsends the bevel side 39, the clearance 40 and the transverse slot 41 inwhich latter is slidable the pin 42 secured to the wedge 43 shaped atone side to conform to one side of the groove 21. In the member spring44 acting on the pin 45 which bears against the thick end of the wedge43 movement, the bevel side of the wedge riding against the bevel side39 of member 38 I efiects the outward movement of said wedge 43 which,when this device is located in one 1 of the grooves 21 effects thefrictional engagement of the member 38 and the wedge 43 with therespective sides of said groove.

Mounted in the wedge 43 is the pin 46 to the outer end of which issecured the guide plate 47 which is engaged in the slot 48 of theclamping plate 49, said slot 48 extends at an angle with the edge ofsaid plate 49 so that when said plate is moved transversely of themember 38 such plate 49 is guided by said slot 48 in a directionlongitudinal of said member 38. In order to utilize these column clampsthe member 38 thereof is introduced into a groove 21 and the wedge 43 ispressed against the action of spring 44 along the bevel 39 whereby thewedge is moved inward from the wall of said groove 21 and the member 38may then be moved along the groove 21 until the edge of its clampingplate 49 bears tightly against one end of a printing plate or othermember the move.- ment of which it is desired to resist. The clamp plate49 is now forcibly moved transversely of its member 38 and, in suchmovement, is guided by the slot 48 moving against the guide 47 towardthe printing plate or other member to be clamped in the nature of awedge while the retractive movement of said plate 49, along the groove21, is prevented by the wedge 43 which is forced into holding contactwith one side of the groove 21.

In order to secure the cross rows of printing plates and to tighten thesame I provide a two part wedge having the members 59 and 51 having whencombined a cross s'ectional shape and size approximately similar to thatof the grooves 21. Member has secured thereto the guide plate 53 in oron which is slidable the clamping plate 54 having the bevel edge 55,adapted to engage the bevel edge 6 of a printing plate base B, and

said plate 54 has at its under side a series of diagonally extendinggrooves 56, 56 in any one of which grooves the diagonally extending rib52 of the member 51 may act when said member 51 is slid into placebeside member 50, so that while these members 50 and 51 are located inthe groove 21 the clamping plate 54 is driven toward the side edge ofthe printing plate by the engagement of the rib 52 of member 51 withsaid groove 56 of the clamping plate. The utility of the series ofgrooves 56 in plate 54 is to allow for a certain latitude of preliminaryadjustment of such plate 54 with reference to the edge of the printingplate P before the member 51 is moved into place.

By reference to the above description and the drawing it will be seenthat the plates 35, 35 operate as printing plate spacing means, to spacethe side margins of the printing plates, as well as printing plateclamping means to clamp said printing plates to the form bed or base 20.Owing tothe fact that the plates 35, 35 are slidably mounted plates 54,54 effect the tightening of all the printing plates P, P and of thespacing and clamping plates 35, 35 of the cross row of plates P, P towhich said plates 54, 54 are applied while at the same time said plates54, 54 engage and clamp the outer or right hand edges of the plates P, Pto which said plates 54, 54 are applied.

It is to be noticed that while the printing plates P, P are spaced andsecured to the platen by the overlapping edges of the plates 35, 35 saidplates P, P may be adjusted in a direction parallel to the severalseries of clamping plates 35, 35 and secured in such adjusted positionsby the wedge plates 49, 49 of the column securing devices.

The word platen is used herein to indicate a substantially flat platebase, block or similar structure adapted to support printing plates butby the use of said term I do not intend to limit my invention except asherein claimed. Nor do I intend to limit this invention to theparticular arrangement of the printing plates on the member 20 shown inthe drawing or to the particular location of the strips or gages 25 and27 on said member 20.

Having thus described my invention 1 claim as new and desire to secureby Letters Patent- 1. A printing form comprising a form bed having aseries of depressions, and a series of printing plate spacing andclamping devices having securing means located in and shift ablelongitudinally of said depressions and also having members movable indirections laterally of the shifting direction.

2. A printing form comprising a form bed having a series of grooves,rods adapted to be received by said grooves, and a series of printingplate engaging means carried by and slidable laterally on said rods.

3. A printing form comprising a form bed having a series of grooves ofpermanent width, rods adapted to be received by said grooves and to besecured therein, guides fixedly mounted on said rods, and printing plateengaging clamps slidable laterally of the rods in said guides.

4. A printing form comprising a form bed, means adjustably mountedthereon and engageable therewith for spacing printing plates in columnsand for engaging the edges of said plates, the adjustment being in thedirection of length of the columns, said spacing and engaging meansincluding elements movable laterally of the means, and means adapted tobe mounted on said bed for exerting pressure on certain plates of all ofsaid columns.

5. A printing form comprising a form bed, means adjustably mountedthereon and engageable therewith for spacing printing plates in columnsand for engaging edges of: said plates, the adjustment being in tnedirection of length of the columns, said spacing and engaging meansincluding elements movable laterally of the means, and clamping andtightening means mounted on said bed and adapted to engage the edges ofprinting plates of one of said columns to tighten the cross rows ofsaidprinting plates.

6. A printing form comprising a form bed, having a series of grooves, aseries of column printing plate spacing and clamping devices havingmembers located in said grooves, and a series of printing plate clampingmeans having members located in one of said grooves, said latterclamping means having clamping members movable laterally of the groovelength and mechanical means for moving said members, said clampingmembers being movable in the direction of clamping action of saidmechanical means independently of said first-mentioned members.

7. A printing form comprising a form bed having a series ofnon-communicating grooves, a series of column printing plate spacing andclamping devices movable transversely of said grooves and having memberslocated in said grooves, and a series of printing plate clamping meanshaving movable clamping members, and mechanical means contained withinone of said grooves for engaging and moving said clamping members.

HENRY J. MILLER, ESTHER C. MURPHY.

topics or this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Gomminioner of Iatenfl,

Washington, G.

